


Under The Table

by gurajiorasu



Series: Matsumoto Daycare [1]
Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daycare, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 17:15:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3818461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gurajiorasu/pseuds/gurajiorasu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We’re under a table, not chestnut tree.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under The Table

It was already dark outside. Matsumoto Daycare was already empty, save from the head caretaker and two little boys who hadn’t been picked up by their parents. Aiba Masaki, the head caretaker, had already run out of ideas to entertain the kids. Besides, the two kids didn’t seem interested to anything that Aiba did; they looked like they had their own worlds.

Aiba sighed after a little puppet show that gained zero attention. He stood up and decided to leave for the phone, intending to call the parents. The two kids that were left didn’t seem to be bothered by the absence of the adult.

A weird silence fell upon the room. On one corner, there was Ohno Satoshi, the oldest kid on the daycare, playing with crayons and pencils. On the other corner, there was Ninomiya Kazunari. It was his first day on the daycare and he already showed the potential of being the popular kid. He was fumbling with building blocks and some figures, trying to build a fortress.

They were so focused to their own activities when suddenly heavy rain came and a thunder blared. Kazunari was startled, making his hand slipped and toppled his huge fortress. The building blocks were scattered to the floor with loud noise and Satoshi turned to look at it.

Kazunari looked at the window with rounded eyes. He saw the storm and he trembled a bit. Then, he looked at Satoshi who was looking at him with puzzled eyes and tilted head.

With the pride of a three years old, Kazunari acted though and asked, “What?!”

Satoshi didn’t say a thing as a response. In fact, he hadn’t said a thing since morning that Kazunari started to suspect that he was a mute. He just shifted his gaze to the scattered building blocks and back to Kazunari.

“I- I’m just bored with it,” Kazunari said.

A thunder came again and Kazunari flinched. With his tiny feet, he stood up and dashed to Satoshi’s corner. His tiny fingers were automatically latched to Satoshi’s hem.

Satoshi kept staring at Kazunari. Confusion was reflected in his eyes.

Kazunari looked at his own hand and pulled it away immediately. His eyes darted here and there, trying to find an excuse.

Satoshi then tore a page of his drawing book and pushed it to Kazunari. He shifted on his seat, giving enough space for Kazunari to sit on. He also shifted his drawing book on the table, putting the page next to the book when Kazunari didn’t take it.

Softly, Satoshi patted the empty space next to him and waved a crayon to Kazunari.

It was Kazunari’s turn to stare in confusion. But then, he heard the storm getting stronger and decided to take the crayon and sit beside Satoshi.

Kazunari stroked random lines and shapes on his page and started to feel calm again. He peeked at Satoshi’s drawing and soon, he stopped drawing and watched Satoshi worked on his drawing book instead.

“You can’t speak?” Kazunari finally asked.

Satoshi turned to see Kazunari’s face. He smiled and resumed his drawing.

“Your drawing is good. What’s that? Sheep?” Kazunari’s short finger pointed at one creature.

Satoshi let out a voice that sounded like a laughter. Then, he added antlers to it and showed it to Kazunari once again.

“Oh, deer!” Kazunari clapped his hands.

Satoshi grinned. He then flipped his book, making a new drawing. He drew a human with long limbs and short straight hair. The eyes were bright and the smile was wide.

Satoshi showed it to Kazunari once he’s done.

“Aiba sensei!” Kazunari shouted. His fist flew to the air.

Satoshi nodded repeatedly, grinning wide as he wrote Aiba’s name under the drawing. His writing was scrawny but it was okay. Kazunari still couldn’t read, anyway.

“Yes?” Aiba’s head emerged from the door. Phone was still attached to his ear. He then got tangled to the cord and fell down to the floor, screaming _it’s okay_ repeatedly to the kids.

The two kids laughed. Satoshi climbed down from his chair and helped Aiba with the cord; little laughter was still flowing from him.

Aiba stood up once he got disentangled and patted Satoshi’s head gently, “Thank you, Ohno kun,” he craned his neck to Kazunari, “What happened, Ninomiya kun?”

Kazunari clasped his hands on his mouth to hide his laughter and shook his head. For a moment, he completely forgot about the storm outside.

“Wait a moment, okay? I’ll try to contact your parents,” Aiba said. He ruffled Satoshi’s hair when he said, “Watch Nino kun for me, okay, Ohno kun?”

Satoshi nodded and got back to Kazunari while Aiba closed the door and continued what he was doing.

Kazunari laughed freely when Satoshi was back to his side, “Aiba sensei is funny.”

Satoshi grinned and nodded.

Another thunder startled them. Kazunari turned to the window and looked outside in horror. Flashes of lightning decorated the sky and it never meant good to Kazunari.

A soft touch on his hand made Kazunari turned to Satoshi again.

Satoshi tugged Kazunari’s hand and tapped at his drawing book. He started to draw again, tearing Kazunari’s focus from the storm outside.

Kazunari tried to concentrate on the new drawing that Satoshi was making, but he kept looking outside every once in a while. Satoshi was drawing another human. Only when Satoshi added a little mole on the side of the chin did he succeed to seize Kazunari’s full attention.

“Is that?” Kazunari’s eyes widened.

Satoshi grinned.

“Me?” there’s a gleam on Kazunari’s eyes. A wide smile began to bloom on his face, replacing the terrified look he was sporting earlier.

But then, a series of unrelenting thunder was heard and the electricity was cut out. It was so dark suddenly and the loud noises from the storm outside was deafening.

Kazunari screamed and in a second, Satoshi couldn’t find Kazunari next to him.

“Don’t panic. The electricity will come back up soon!” Aiba shouted from outside the room but he himself sounded panic too, “Stay together, okay? I’ll find flashlight.”

Satoshi blinked his eyes until he got used to the darkness. He looked at his left and right but he still couldn’t find Nino. Then, he heard a soft whimper from under the table.

Satoshi slid down from his chair and found Kazunari under the table. Kazunari was squatting there, covering his ears with his hands and closing his eyes tight. His knees were pulled close to his chest.

Slowly, Satoshi squeezed himself to the tiny space left under the table. He grabbed Kazunari’s hand but Kazunari didn’t budge, still shuddering with himself. Satoshi patted him but Kazunari was too scared to notice. Satoshi then wrapped his arm around Kazunari’s little shoulders and rocked them both in a calming sway.

“ _Ooki na kuri no ki no shita de_ (Under the big chestnut tree),” Kazunari lifted his head up when he heard Satoshi sang.

Satoshi, who was aware that Kazunari was watching him, became shy and lost his voice. He cleared his throat and tried again, “ _Ooki na kuri no ki no shita de_ (Under the big chestnut tree) _._ ”

Kazunari blinked. His eyes were glistening from the tears that he had spilled.

“ _Anata to watashi_ (You and me),” Satoshi continued. He held Kazunari close to himself but he didn’t dare to look at Kazunari’s eyes.

Kazunari sniffled. His fingers found Satoshi’s hem and gripped it tightly.

“ _Tanoshi ku asobimashou_ (Are playing happily),” Satoshi was getting confident as he felt the light tug by Kazunari’s hand.

Then, Kazunari shifted closer to Satoshi and followed Satoshi’s back and forth movement voluntarily.

Satoshi smiled, “ _Ooki na kuri no ki no shita de_ (Under the big chestnut tree).”

The storm was still so strong and scary but Kazunari wasn’t so scared anymore. Satoshi’s warm presence around him calmed him down and made him felt secure.

And, because he liked to act though, Kazunari said in a low whisper, “We’re under a table, not chestnut tree.”

Satoshi froze for a split second but then Kazunari laughed and he laughed too. They laughed and laughed until it’s not scary anymore and they got comfortable in that dark, cramped space.

A few minutes later, the light was back on and there were rustling voices from outside.

“Wait, they’re here. Ah- where are they?” Aiba’s voice filled the room. Then, he bent down and made a relieved face, “Ah, here they are!”

Kazunari and Satoshi crawled from under the table and found their parents were already there. They ran to their respective parents and attached their tiny hands to their mothers’.

“It seems that Ohno kun took care of Nino kun, ne?” Aiba said with a proud smile.

Kazunari’s mother smiled and bowed to the Ohnos, “Ah, thank you. My son is really afraid of the storm. Thank you, Ohno kun.”

Satoshi hid behind his mother’s legs and just nodded.

“I’m sorry. Satoshi doesn’t really like to talk. He only talks to people he really _really_ like,” Satoshi’s mother smiled apologetically.

Kazunari’s eyes lit up in an instance. He shot a look at Satoshi and Satoshi smiled sheepishly, shrugging like he didn’t want to talk about it.

Then, all of them walked outside and right before they parted ways into the rain, Satoshi stopped and ran back inside. Puzzled, everyone waited for him.

Satoshi came back soon enough with a paper in his hand. He shoved it to Kazunari’s hand and grinned before getting back to his parents.

Kazunari looked at the new object. It was a drawing of himself made by Satoshi. A little heart was added on a corner. It was not clear if it was already there from the beginning or Satoshi just added it before handing it to Kazunari.

Kazunari grinned anyway.

“Ohno Satoshi,” Kazunari shouted.

Satoshi stopped and turned to look at Kazunari.

“I like you too,” Kazunari grinned especially wide despite the pouring rain, “Play again tomorrow, ne?”

Satoshi grinned as wide as Kazunari and nodded eagerly.


End file.
